My Peace of Heart
by littlemikey
Summary: The Leukemia is not something you can joke on. Mikey and Raph know this... One day, the red turtle discovers an old album of photos and with them, a past never forgotten returns in his mind. Fluff. Sorry for the Mistakes.
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.**_

_**Warning: This story hasn't a beta reader. Sorry for the mistakes.**_

"Ehi, Raph! Wanna help?".

Mikey's voice resounded from the low plan. It was the day of cleaning od Spring and it was really hard to do! There were so many boxes they could create an antiquate shop like that of April O'Neil!

Raph was in the storage room, surrounded by boxex and many old books.

"Don't worry, buddy. I can do it!" he replied.

"Ok!" Mikey smiled, turning on the stereo.

Raph giggled and with extremely calm he sat on a heavy box, a bit tired for all the hours passed to do the "bellhop".

His muscles protested with soft cramps but nothing to irreparable.

"Ehi!" Raph said, noticing a book near the box where he was: "What is this? I never seen before!".

He took it in his hands and looked: the book had a rigid cover with a clip; he opened it and started to browser the old pages.

Immediately his eyes opened wide and the smile on his lips disappeared.

"It's... that stupid album of photos... I hate it with all myself!" Raph growled undervoice.

There were many photos that showed turtle tots of five/six years old in various moments. However there are a reason why Raph hated to relive a past never could forget...

**_10 years ago..._**

They were always a stronger family with a sweet and severe father and four little brothers. Leo and Don loved above all their little four years old brother and did everything to rest always with him.

But, as in each perfection, there was an obsure stain called "Jealousy".

Raphael didn't try to find something good in Mikey. He had never accepted the Little One in his life neither the orange turtle was the little child in that family and that more cuddled and followed.

Certainly these were his reason for his hate.

Raph broke Mikey's puppet or toys; locked the little brother in bathroom. Then he ruined Mikey's pictured and scared him in the midnight with a torch under his face.

Mikey's life was infernal.

But the things were changed in worse unluckly...

One of many days of October, the sensei was interrupted from his meditation by a noise insistent of little feet that ran. He opened the shoji and two little tots apperared in front of him with cute scared faces.

Big tears were rolling down on their cheeks.

"Children" Splinter admonished: "What's going on?".

Leo replied for Donnie: "Mikey isn't ok, daddy! He feels funny!".

"Show me!".

The children ran faster for reaching their small room. Raph was in bathroom and little Mikey was in the bed, weak, tired and very pale.

Splinter caressed his forehead and noticed it was a bit warm. Maybe his sweet sunshine had to have fever. In his mind danced previous images of some day before. Don, Raph and Leo had been normal but Mikey not. In fact, he hadn't eaten normally. He had had not much energy and soft stomac ache.

"Daddy..." Mikey called.

"Yes Michelangelo?".

"I... I'm cold...".

The sensei sighed and adjusted better the orange blanket on his body, finding with a simply look Mikey's puppet. Orsetto. Where is it?

"We saw Raphael hiding Orsetto under Mikey's bed, daddy!" Donnie whispered: "Have we do the spy?".

"No, my son".

Splinter found Orsetto in the place pointed by Donnie but the poor puppet wasn't a good aspect. It had one missing eyes and the right unstiched arm. Shaking the head, the rat thought he would have done a talk with Raphael who, in that same time, entered.

"Why is Mikey still sleeping?".

"Raphael, your brother is sick and we need to talk" the sensei replied.

The red child watched him with anger: "No! It is not right! Mikey's pretending!".

The sound of a coff resounded in the room: Mikey started to whine a bit, scared from the temper of hot head but he remained in silence.

"Stop, Raph!"Donnie protested: "You're bad!".

"I'm not bad! Mikey is stupid an this isn't my fault!" Raph replied.

The orange turtle started to cry, really offended. Splinter, angry, brought Raphael in his room and closed the shoji.

They remained in silence but the red turtle never saw his father in his eyes.

"Raphael, why you hate your brother?".

"Cuz he's the most cuddled! He always had everythin' and nobody notices me anymore!".

Splinter nodded, understanding Raphael would have had to understand the concept of brotherhood and passing more time with the little one.

"My son, Michelangelo isn't bad as you think. In fact, he always ask me to play with you but you reject him" Splinter continued.

Raph left to fall his shoulder and looked his father: "Does he... play with me?".

"Yes, Raphael. But every time you see his with anger, Michelangelo prefers leave you in peace. But in this way, you trasmit at your brother the idea you don't love him".

Raph sighed a bit, while his eyes filled of tears. His father took him in the arms and started to cradle, caressing sweetly the head.

"Mikey doesn't hate me...".

"No, Raphael" the rat repeated: "Michelangelo receives more attentions just because he's the younger and he needs a guide".

"Can I give this guide to him?" Raph proposed.  
A smile grew up Splinter's lips and kissed Raph's forehead, really proud. Maybe his impatient child understood the lesson and this was a good sign...

TbC...


	2. Chapter 2

**_Disclaimer: I Don't Own TMNT._**

**_Warning: This story hasn't a beta reader. Sorry for the mistakes._**

The next days the situation didn't get better. Raphael was always with Mikey, hoping to play with ball or a little train... but Michelangelo hadn't even the force to get up from that bed.

Michelangelo was blocked here from almost eight days and he hadn't eaten much; just a bit of dough or milk.

Splinter looked that little body was losing weight: Mikey was already underweight and with this lack of hungry, the things were getting bad.

Mikey's little bones started to show like the ribs, knees and elbows and the skin had become thin.

"Hi, Mikey" Raph called, entering in that room: "How do ya feel today?".

The little one turned the head toward the hot head and noticed a cheese sandwich. He smile softly.

"Not so good...".

Raph nodded sadly and continued: "Do ya want a bit of my sandwich?".

The little one nodded also if he wasn't really sure to get hungry. Pushing away this thought in the remotest part of his mind, he opened the mouth and ate. He tasted a real taste and not the bitter created in those days of sickness.

"Sorry, Mikey" Raph murmured, sat on the bed: "Daddy told me ya don't hate me and I don't hate ya! So... I was wondering if ... can ya forgive me?".

No reply.

The red tot lifted up an eyebrow but his heart freeze. Mikey was pale and the vomit was dripping from his mouth, with some red spots.

"DADDY!" Raphael yelled, not knowing what to do.

Splinter was reading a fairy book to Donnie and Leo heard the desperate call and went quickly in the room where his tots were.

"Daddy, I haven't done anything!" Raph said trembling: "I gave Mikey a bit of my sandwich!".

"Don't worry, Raphael" Splinter replied softly, taking Mikey: "Your brother has just vomited. The fever is high and he hasn't a good digestion".

Donnie watched the vomit on the pillow and lifted up an eyebrow, threading a finger in his mouth. He read in some book that the red spots represented blood and this wasn't never a good sign.

"Daddy, Mikey has vomited blood".

The rat moved the ear and looked his son: now he was really sure there was something really wrong in that abnormal fever.

Clearing his baby, Splinter put some towels on Mikey's body for avoiding another retching as before.

"Michelangelo, what do you feel exactly?".

"I'm tired... my bones hurt... my belly and my mouth too, sensei...".

"Leonardo, what happens?" Splinter asked, noticing his future leader observing the little one.

"Nothing, daddy... it's just Mikey has some little points on his skin".

Examining better, the rat was forced to be agree with Leonardo. There was no time to lose and only an idea appeared in his mind.

"The Battle Nexus. My sons we have to go there urgently!".

...

They were there from five hours and Leo and Don were sleeping on Splinter's thighs, while Raphie hardly fought with the sleep. He was very tired.

In that hospital corridors various Healers went in numerous rooms, assisting the patients.

Michelangelo had been hospitalized urgently after Splinter had listed the symptoms of his child and now they were waiting for the results. The anxiety gnawed the stomach.

"Daddy?" Raph called suddenly.

"Yes, my son?".

"Is it somethin' bad?".

How could he reply? Splinter didn't know anything and... the lies weren't a good solution.

When he opened the mouth for saying something, a Healer appeared. She was a girl with big boobs under her with dress.

"Mr. Hamato?".

"Yes. I am".

Don and Leo woke up with the sound of the voice of their father and yawned, rubbing the eyes.

"Please, follow me".

They entered in a lift and lifted at 56th plan without saying a word until when the double iron doors opened again but in a new department.

ICU.

The Healer stopped next a white door where you could notice Mikey sleeping in a bed, with numerous wires on his body. He had a H.I.V. in his arm and a small yellow pajamas.

"We've subject him at each possible analyses and the result is the same" the Healer started: "Chronic Leukemia. Frequent enough in the three and five years old children".

Splinter opened the mouth but immediately a strong crying of Raphael resounded in the corridor.

"I don't wanna Mikey dies!" he yelled.

"Don't worry, little one" the Healer smiled: "We have had other chances as your little brother and we will cure him".

Raph looked her with hope.

"R... Really?".

The woman nodded and explain Mikey would have had to subject at various cycles to chemotherapy until when the evil cells in the bone marrow would be destroyed...


	3. Chapter 3

**_Disclaimer: I don't Own TMNT._**

**_Warning: This story hasn't a beta-reader._**

The time passed very slowly. Excruciating was the perfect adjective for describing how Mikey was become: thinnest, pale and with the shadows under his blue eyes. His coughing blood never abandoned him.

However, in spite of all, he could count on the affection of his family and above all on Raphael who had learned that hating Mikey was useless and stupid!

The orange child, according to the Healers, was recovering pretty good.

The chemotherapy was working well and there was a great hope of a complete and definitive recovery.

Splinter was so happy of this notice who prayed so that the day of the defeat of cancer would have arrived soon.

"Mikey, look" Raphie said: "I brought you your pencils and the copybook".

The little one smiled and took everything, noticing a little note written in red from Raphael.

_**You know I love ya so much... please, don't leave us... and then I'm sorry to make you suffer... can you forgive me?**_

Mikey hugged Raph and a bit tired he lied down, continuing to look his brothers who were playing to imitate wizards, dragons and other fantasy characters.

He felt better from some day and also if his little bones were still aching, the pain wasn't something hard as in previous weeks.

Ah, right...! He was on Battle Nexus from two months and now was December!

"Christmas is near!" Mikey said in a whisper.

"What would you like to have?" the sensei asked, sitting near his little child.

Mikey though but just an idea appeared in his mind.

"I wanna recovery totally and... not die".

The rat caressed his head and kissed the forehead too but in that moment, sweet Mikeys eyes rolled back and he sagged on the bed, starting to become pale.

"MIKEY!" Leo, Don and Raph yelled very scared.

Splinter sounded the bell for calling the Healers and little Mikey was brought in operating theatre for a transplant of staminal cells for rebuilding the damages created by the cancer...

...

"And for Christmas you were with us... completely recovery after that cardiac arrest. Your wish was come true".

Raphael rubbed sweetly a finger on a photo that showed Mikey discharged from hospital in the hot head's arms. That was the most happy day he remembered.

"Raph?".

The red turtle jumped a bit but he didn't turn back. He left Michelangelo to approach him.

How much time he had been lost in memories?

"It's dinner time" Mikey said, noticing the tears on Raph's cheeks: "Bro, what is happened? You know I don't like see you suffering".

The red put away the album and stood up, stretching. With the hands on his belt, he approached to Mikey (14 years old) and without hesitating, he hugged him.

"Raph..." Mikey whispered.

"Shhh. It's important ya are here today" Raph whispered: "I have never approver the idea to lose you... I was too much jealous to understand this initially".

Mikey had perfectly understood now and with a brilliant smile, he clung Raph's neck, breathing in pleasantly.

"It have been something I would not get again." the orange said: "However I can count on you guys and... you, Raphael".

The red smiled softly, putting Mikey with the feet on the floor and he leant one hand on Mikey's shell for exiting from the storage room.

"Finally!" Donnie giggled: "The noodles will become cold!".

"Yeah! Noodles!" Mikey exclaimed, running toward the kitchen: "My favourite dish, after the pizza, obviously!".

Leonardo put a hand on Raph's shoulder, looking Don following the younger turtle. There was a visible sadness in golden look.

"Raph... you know what day is today, isn't?".

"It's anniversary of the beginning of Mikey's sickness" .

Leonardo started to walk, followed by Raphael: "And you know what we have promised?".

"Mikey is too much important. No matter what, nothing and nobody will bring him away!".

Smiling, the two brother joined at their family, laughing and kidding as the family who they had been time before...

The End

_**Ehi, guys! This soty (in Italian, it was a long One-Shot) is over. Thank you for your reviews and watching me! I'm so happy! And I'm sorry for my bad English. Bye!**_


End file.
